Qld: Call for inquiry into transport company

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2001
Qld: Call for inquiry into transport company

By Nadine Rofail

BRISBANE, Dec 7 AAP - Unions have called for an urgent inquiry into a Brisbane-based
transport company after one of its drivers - who fell asleep at the wheel causing two
deaths - was jailed for three years.

Transport Workers' Union Queensland branch secretary Hughie Williams today said the
demanding schedules placed on Harker Transport drivers warranted investigation.

Long-haul driver David Ronald Falconer, 34, of Cowra in central west NSW, was sentenced
in Brisbane's District Court today to three years' jail with a non-parole period of 12
months.

Falconer had pleaded guilty on two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
causing death.

The court was told he fell asleep and drove his semi-trailer into the stationary car
of English doctor Scott Nigel John Wilson, 26, and Irish radiographer Catriona Josephine
Maher, 24, at Yalboroo, near Mackay in north Queensland on December 7 last year.

"Two young people have lost their lives, the father of two young children is in jail
while the people who may have caused the accident are out enjoying life," Mr Williams
said.

"I am sure that people would come out of the woodwork, even former bosses of the company
(if an inquiry was held)."

Earlier this week, a report on the trucking industry was released by University of
NSW industrial relations lecturer Michael Quinlan.

It found excessive workloads led to widespread drug use and speeding.

Mr Williams said while the Quinlan report was welcome, a more specific inquiry into
Harker Transport was needed by the Queensland government.

"The result of the inquiry was 498 pages which will get lost in the archives," he said.

"A hard-hitting inquiry into this one company is what I think we require."

Mr Williams dismissed calls by Scott Wilson's father Cliff for tachographs to be made
compulsory on semi-trailers in Australia.

Mr Wilson said a tachograph could determine the speed of a semi-trailer, where it had
been driven and how often it stopped.

"People can bodgie them (tachographs) up and disconnect them - they are about as useful
as last week's newspaper," Mr Williams said.

"You have to implement European ideas where maybe there's no trucks on the road past
9pm and a driver cannot drive past nine hours.

"If I have to pay a couple more cents for my weeties or bananas then so let it be."

A Harker Transport spokeswoman said the company would not comment at this stage, while
a comment has been sought from state Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer.

AAP nr/sc/tb/de

KEYWORD: FLIEDNER UNION

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